KR20230095789A - Tinnitus treatment device and system using stereophonic virtual reality interface and method of operation thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

The present technology relates to a device and a system for tinnitus treatment using a stereophonic virtual reality interface and an operation method thereof. The tinnitus treatment device using a stereophonic virtual reality interface of the present technology comprises: a display unit mounted on the head of a user to display a VR image including a virtual tinnitus object and a virtual environment object inserted therein to a subject; a virtual tinnitus object and virtual environment object unit for generating the virtual tinnitus object by visualizing subjective tinnitus sensed by the user and generating the virtual environment object corresponding to a sound source generated in a virtual environment; a stereophonic processing unit for performing 3D sound processing to allow the user to sense the location of the virtual tinnitus object and the location of the virtual environment object; a sound output unit for outputting the 3D sound to the user; and a VR image control unit for changing the content in the VR image in accordance with a user input signal provided from a user interface. The VR image control unit controls the virtual tinnitus object displayed in the VR image in accordance with the user input signal, and changes the output of the 3D sound in accordance with the control of the virtual tinnitus object. According to the tinnitus treatment device using the stereoscopic virtual reality interface of the present technology, tinnitus symptoms can be alleviated and treatment effects can be obtained by inducing user active participation and controlling visual and auditory cognitive functions together.

Description

Tinnitus treatment device and system using stereophonic virtual reality interface and method of operation thereof}

The present invention relates to a tinnitus treatment device and system using a stereoscopic virtual reality interface and an operation method thereof, and more particularly, to a tinnitus treatment device and system using a cognitive behavioral therapy method and an operation method thereof.

Tinnitus refers to a phenomenon in which sound is felt in the ear or head even when there is no external sound stimulus. Tinnitus can be divided into what occurs in the auditory organ itself (auditory) and what is felt through the auditory organ by structures around the auditory organ, such as muscles and blood vessels (non-auditory). makes up most of this

Conventional general tinnitus treatment methods include a sound treatment method. Sound therapy is used to modify patients' perceptions or reactions to tinnitus by masking tinnitus using external noise. The sound treatment method can be divided into complete masking in which the entire tinnitus sound is masked with the stimulating sound, and partial masking in which the stimulating sound partially covers the tinnitus sound.

This sound therapy is a method in which the patient listens to a separate stimulus sound, and it is inconvenient to spend a considerable amount of time in a day. In addition, the conventional tinnitus treatment method mainly corresponds to a method of focusing on the treatment sound, but there is a problem in that it is not easy to focus on the sound even in everyday life.

On the other hand, tinnitus can be seen as a kind of virtual reality that the brain recognizes as important information even though it is incomplete information. Virtual reality is a technology that acquires information by stimulating the human brain to be accepted as real, although it is not real. Tinnitus is also a phenomenon in which people recognize as if there is a sound stimulus despite the absence of external sound stimulation, so they perceive virtual information by themselves. It can be seen as a kind of phantom pain.

Therefore, as one of the methods of treating tinnitus, it is necessary to study tinnitus retraining treatment through habituation in the part to be detected and habituation of the response to the suffering caused by tinnitus.

The inventor of the present invention has completed the present invention after a long period of research and trial and error in relation to tinnitus retraining treatment.

A technical problem to be achieved by the present invention is to provide a tinnitus treatment apparatus and system using a stereophonic virtual reality interface and an operating method thereof, which provide tinnitus retraining treatment through habituation of a response to tinnitus.

Meanwhile, other unspecified objects of the present invention will be additionally considered within the scope that can be easily inferred from the following detailed description and effects thereof.

A tinnitus treatment apparatus using a stereoscopic virtual reality interface according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a display unit mounted on a user's head and displaying a VR image into which a virtual tinnitus object and a virtual environment object are inserted to a subject; a virtual tinnitus object and virtual environment object unit for generating the virtual tinnitus object by visualizing subjective tinnitus perceived by the user and generating the virtual environment object corresponding to a sound source generated in the virtual environment; a stereophonic sound processing unit that performs 3D sound processing to allow the user to recognize the location of the virtual tinnitus object and the location of the virtual environment object; a sound output unit outputting the 3D sound to the user; and a VR image control unit that changes content in the VR image in response to a user input signal provided from a user interface unit, wherein the VR image controller controls the virtual tinnitus object displayed in the VR image in response to the user input signal. control, and the output of the 3D sound may be changed in response to the control of the virtual tinnitus object.

The VR image controller may remove the virtual tinnitus object displayed in the VR image in response to the user input signal and stop output of the 3D sound by the virtual tinnitus object.

The VR image control unit removes the virtual tinnitus object displayed in the VR image in response to the user input signal, and at the same time stops the output of the 3D sound by the virtual tinnitus object and controls the 3D sound by the virtual environment object. The output of sound can be maintained.

The 3D sound may be a mixed sound in which the 3D sound by the virtual tinnitus object and the 3D sound by the virtual environment object are fused.

The sound output unit may include a left sound output unit and a right sound output unit that respectively output sound to both ears of the user.

The sound output unit may adjust time, volume, and height of the 3D sound in response to a distance between the user and the virtual tinnitus object and a distance between the user and the virtual environment object in the VR image.

The stereophonic sound processing unit may be implemented based on a Head-Related Transfer Function (HRTF), which is a function that sets the time, volume, and pitch of sound according to the movement of the head.

The display unit may be provided as a Head Mounted Display (HMD) providing a closed view environment blocked from the outside.

In addition, a tinnitus treatment system using a stereoscopic virtual reality interface according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a tinnitus treatment device; and a VR image controller that is connected to the tinnitus treatment device through a network and inputs a user input signal to the tinnitus treatment device, wherein the tinnitus treatment device is mounted on the head of the user and provides the subject with a virtual tinnitus object and a virtual environment. a display unit displaying a VR image in which an object is inserted; a virtual tinnitus object and virtual environment object unit for generating the virtual tinnitus object by visualizing subjective tinnitus perceived by the user and generating the virtual environment object corresponding to a sound source generated in the virtual environment; a stereophonic sound processing unit that performs 3D sound processing to allow the user to recognize the location of the virtual tinnitus object and the location of the virtual environment object; a sound output unit outputting the 3D sound to the user; and a VR image controller configured to change contents in the VR image in response to a user input signal provided from the VR image controller, wherein the VR image controller responds to the user input signal to the virtual tinnitus object displayed in the VR image. and change the output of the 3D sound in response to the control of the virtual tinnitus object.

In addition, as a method of operating a tinnitus treatment apparatus using a stereoscopic virtual reality interface according to an embodiment of the present invention, a virtual tinnitus object is created by visualizing subjective tinnitus perceived by a user, and a virtual environment corresponding to a sound source generated in the virtual environment. creating an object; displaying a VR image into which the virtual tinnitus object and the virtual environment object are inserted to a subject through a display unit mounted on the user's head; performing 3D sound processing to allow the user to recognize the location of the virtual tinnitus object and the location of the object in the virtual environment; outputting the 3D sound to the user; and changing the content in the VR image in response to a user input signal provided from a user interface unit, wherein the changing step controls the virtual tinnitus object displayed in the VR image in response to the user input signal. , the output of the 3D sound may be changed in response to the control of the virtual tinnitus object.

According to the tinnitus treatment device using the stereoscopic virtual reality interface of the present technology, active participation of the user is induced, and tinnitus symptom relief and treatment effects can be obtained by controlling both visual and auditory cognitive actions.

In addition, the present technology can provide an interface that can obtain positional information of tinnitus existing in virtual reality and sound in a virtual environment.

In addition, this technology makes it possible to simulate everyday situations in which immersive tinnitus is heard through virtual tinnitus objects and sounds of virtual environment objects.

In addition, this technology goes beyond the prior art treatment of simply hearing the sound of tinnitus to experience hearing the sound of tinnitus in a virtual everyday space. A simulation environment that can more effectively reduce tinnitus stress in everyday environments can be provided.

1 is a schematic block diagram of a tinnitus treatment device using a stereoscopic virtual reality interface according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the tinnitus treatment device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a diagram for explaining a method of determining a viewpoint of a user wearing a tinnitus treatment device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
4 is a diagram for explaining a tinnitus treatment method using a stereoscopic virtual reality interface according to an embodiment of the present invention.
5 is a diagram of a tinnitus treatment system using a stereoscopic virtual reality interface according to an embodiment of the present invention.
6 shows a tinnitus treatment experiment setting according to an embodiment of the present invention. (A) The patient and clinician see the virtual environment through the HMD (Head Mounted Display) and the screen, respectively. The patient listens to the spatial sound in the tinnitus avatar through the HMD headphones. The patient also moves the tinnitus avatar using the VIVE controller. (B) Hardware and software settings.
7 illustrates an example of a virtual environment for a treatment session according to an embodiment of the present invention. At this time, the shiny object (red circle) emitting particles is the tinnitus avatar. The yellow area is a tinnitus treatment site that instructs the patient to discard the tinnitus avatar.
8 shows four steps of an experimental protocol according to an embodiment of the present invention.
9 illustrates an example of a virtual reality tinnitus treatment scene according to an embodiment of the present invention. At this time, the scenes were arranged based on the environmental noise increasing from left to right. Participants experienced the scenes in order from left to right.
10 shows changes in THI total score according to an embodiment of the present invention. At this time, 12 of 19 patients showed improvement in the total THI score (THI, List of Tinnitus Disorders).
11 illustrates a cortical power difference localized to the origin of the prefrontal cortex according to an embodiment of the present invention. At this time, the power levels of the alpha and theta frequency band (A) and theta and beta 2 frequency band (B) increased after virtual reality (VR) tinnitus treatment.
It is revealed that the accompanying drawings are illustrated as references for understanding the technical idea of the present invention, and thereby the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto.

In the following, the most preferred embodiment of the present invention is described. In the drawings, the thickness and interval are expressed for convenience of explanation, and may be exaggerated compared to the actual physical thickness. In describing the present invention, well-known configurations irrelevant to the gist of the present invention may be omitted. In adding reference numerals to the components of each drawing, it should be noted that the same components have the same numbers as much as possible, even if they are displayed on different drawings.

Specific structural or functional descriptions of the embodiments according to the concept of the present invention disclosed in this specification are only illustrated for the purpose of explaining the embodiments according to the concept of the present invention, and the embodiments according to the concept of the present invention It can be embodied in various forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. In the embodiments described in this specification, a 'module' or 'unit' refers to a functional part that performs at least one function or operation, and may be implemented with hardware or software or a combination of hardware and software.

The term "unit" or "module" used in the specification means a hardware component such as software, FPGA or ASIC, and "unit" or "module" performs certain roles. However, "unit" or "module" is not meant to be limited to software or hardware. A "unit" or "module" may be configured to reside in an addressable storage medium and may be configured to reproduce one or more processors. Thus, as an example, a “unit” or “module” may refer to components such as software components, object-oriented software components, class components, and task components, processes, functions, properties, procedures, subroutines, segments of program code, drivers, firmware, microcode, circuitry, data, databases, data structures, tables, arrays and variables. Functions provided within components and "units" or "modules" may be combined into fewer components and "units" or "modules" or may be combined into additional components and "units" or "modules". can be further separated.

1 is a schematic block diagram of a tinnitus treatment device using a stereoscopic virtual reality interface according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1 , the tinnitus treatment device 100 using a stereoscopic virtual reality interface according to an embodiment of the present invention uses VR images and 3D sounds as part of brain nerve activity to treat tinnitus by active participation of the user. provide training.

Tinnitus is a subjective feeling of noise perceived even in the absence of an external auditory stimulus, and the pathophysiological mechanism for subjective tinnitus involves hyperactivation and functional reallocation of auditory and non-auditory cortical or subcortical networks. Subjective tinnitus may be accompanied by functional abnormalities in one part of the brain, as well as disorders of brain network connections, and hearing originates from the brain.

Therefore, monitoring of brain neural activity is necessary to elucidate auditory control mechanisms, and analyzing changes in neural behavior, especially auditory pathways, at the cortical level will help advance our understanding of neural synchrony and reorganization involved in tinnitus development and maintenance. becomes

To this end, the tinnitus treatment device 100 includes a VR image control unit 110, a display unit 120, a virtual tinnitus object and virtual environment object unit 130, a stereophonic sound processing unit 140, a user interface unit 150, a sound It includes an output unit 160 and a storage unit 170 .

The VR image controller 110 may perform display control of VR images displayed on the display unit 120, output control of 3D sound output from the sound output unit 160, and determination of the user's gaze according to the user's movement. , the virtual tinnitus object and the tinnitus avatar created by the virtual environment object unit can be inserted into or removed from the VR image.

A method for treating tinnitus, which is an object of the present invention, is for removing or alleviating symptoms of tinnitus through active participation of a user, and the VR image controller 110 displays contents in a VR image in response to a user input signal provided from the user interface unit 150. It can be changed, and the output of 3D sound can be changed in response to the change of contents in the VR image.

The display unit 120 may include a plurality of pixels and display a virtual reality (VR) image using input image data. For example, the display unit 120 may be implemented as an organic light emitting display panel, a liquid crystal display panel, a plasma display panel, or the like, but is not limited thereto. no.

In addition, the display unit 120 may be provided as a Head Mounted Display (HMD) providing a closed view environment blocked from the outside. That is, the tinnitus treatment device 100 is an HMD device and may be mounted on the user's head to display a VR image. Since the tinnitus treatment device 100 is worn on the user's head, a change in the user's gaze can be determined by detecting a change in position of the HMD device according to the movement of the head.

The virtual tinnitus object and virtual environment object unit 130 may create a virtual tinnitus object (ie, a tinnitus avatar) by visualizing tinnitus perceived by the user (ie, subjective tinnitus). In addition, a virtual environment object (ie, tinnitus background) corresponding to a sound source generated in the virtual environment may be created. For the generation of the former, information on the position/size/rotation of an object corresponding to a source of tinnitus noise in a virtual environment may be used. For the generation of the latter, position/size/rotation information of an object corresponding to one or more sound sources occurring in a virtual environment may be used. These information may be stored in the storage unit.

Tinnitus perceived by each user may be generated differently from each other, such as a scratching sound, a bee sound, and a wind sound. Accordingly, a process of matching the frequency and volume to correspond to the subjective tinnitus perceived by the user (ie, to be customized) may be performed in advance.

Meanwhile, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the virtual tinnitus object and virtual environment object unit 130 may visualize a tinnitus avatar based on subjective tinnitus information provided from the user. For example, when a user feels noise such as a vibration of a mobile phone as tinnitus, the virtual tinnitus object and virtual environment object unit 130 may generate a vibrating mobile phone image as a tinnitus avatar. However, since tinnitus generally felt by the user has only auditory information and no visual information, it is difficult to obtain direct visual information for generating a tinnitus avatar from the user. In this case, one of the preset images can be selected and set as the tinnitus avatar. .

The tinnitus avatar alc virtual environment object created by the virtual object and virtual environment object unit 130 may be inserted into a preset position in the VR image by the VR image controller 110 and displayed.

The 3D sound processing unit 140 may perform 3D sound processing to allow the user to recognize the position of the tinnitus avatar and the position of the object in the virtual environment. To this end, it is possible to set the time, volume, and pitch of the sound of both sound output units using the position information/rotation information of the tinnitus avatar and the position information/rotation information of the left and right sound output units constituting the sound output unit 150. there is.

To this end, the stereophonic sound processing unit 140 may be implemented as a Head-Related Transfer Function (HRTF) of the Google Resonant Sound Software Development Kit (SDK) and designed to generate a spatial tinnitus sound. HRTF is a function that sets the time, volume, and pitch of sound according to head movement.

As a result, the user simultaneously recognizes the position of the tinnitus avatar and the position of the object in the virtual environment through hearing, and the brain recognizes a mixed sound in which the two sounds are fused.

Depending on the embodiment, the volume of the 3D sound processed according to the user's symptom may be adjusted. In addition, the type of virtual environment object (ie, tinnitus background) can be adjusted.

The user interface unit 150 performs a function of transmitting commands or data input from a user or other external device to other components of the tinnitus treatment device 100, and provides the user's input signal to the VR image controller 110. can do. For example, the user interface unit 150 may refer to a series of means such as a keyboard, a joystick, and a touch panel for receiving input information from a user.

The sound output unit 160 is to provide 3D sound separately to the user's left and right hearing, and for example, the sound output unit 160 may be provided in the form of a headset covering both ears of the user.

Depending on the embodiment, the sound output unit 160 may output 3D sound only to the hearing ear on the opposite side of the user's left and right hearing where tinnitus occurs. That is, 3D sound generated from either the left side or the right side may not be output to the other side. This is to increase the treatment efficiency of the auditory region where tinnitus occurs.

The storage unit 170 stores VR images, tinnitus avatars, tinnitus backgrounds, and the like, and may be implemented as non-volatile memory such as flash memory or volatile memory such as dynamic RAM (DRAM), but is not limited thereto.

2 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the tinnitus treatment device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2 , the tinnitus treatment apparatus 100 may receive subjective tinnitus information related to the tinnitus symptom of the user from the user or an assistant to determine the tinnitus symptom of the user (S100). Here, the subjective tinnitus information may include information about the type of noise felt by the user, whether tinnitus is generated in the left or right hearing, frequency of occurrence, size of tinnitus, and the like.

The tinnitus treatment apparatus 100 may generate a tinnitus avatar and a tinnitus background based on the subjective tinnitus information (S110).

The tinnitus treatment device 100 may insert and display the tinnitus avatar and the tinnitus background in a preset position of the VR image, and output 3D sound corresponding to the tinnitus avatar and the tinnitus background (S120).

The tinnitus treatment device 100 may control the display of a VR image in response to an input signal received from a user (S130). For example, when the user wants to move within the VR image, the tinnitus treatment device 100 may display the VR image in which the user's viewpoint is moved in response to an input signal.

The tinnitus treatment device 100 may remove the tinnitus avatar from the VR image when a predetermined condition is satisfied, and at the same time stop 3D sound output by the corresponding tinnitus avatar (S140). The tinnitus treatment method of the present invention is achieved by the user's active participation, rather than passive training to provide and stop noise to the user.

Here, the preset condition may be set such that the user finds and moves the location of the tinnitus avatar in the VR image, inserts the tinnitus avatar into a trash bin object through a user interface, or performs an arbitrary operation.

That is, the tinnitus treatment device 100 may remove the tinnitus avatar from the VR image and stop 3D sound output by the tinnitus avatar at the same time when a preset condition is satisfied by the user's active intentional operation, thereby can simultaneously obtain a visual tinnitus blocking effect and an auditory tinnitus blocking effect.

3 is a diagram for explaining a method of determining a viewpoint of a user wearing a tinnitus treatment device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3 , since the tinnitus treatment device 100 implemented as an HMD device is worn on the user's head, it is possible to estimate a change in the user's line of sight AR according to the movement of the tinnitus treatment device 100 . Basically, the HMD device is equipped with a sensor module, and the sensor module can detect the movement of the HMD device and output information such as x coordinate, y coordinate, z coordinate, pitch, and roll.

The HMD device may detect the direction of the line of sight (AR) based on the output information and configure a background image corresponding to the line of sight (AR). The background image varies depending on the viewing angle provided by the HMD device. It may vary depending on the specifications of the projector and optical system of the HMD device.

Therefore, the HMD device obtains the direction of view (DoV) from the focus point based on the information output from the sensor module, and from the center of the line of sight (AR), the field of view that the projection module can provide. angle: FoV), it is possible to implement a background image in virtual space.

4 is a diagram for explaining a tinnitus treatment method using a stereoscopic virtual reality interface according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 4 , the tinnitus treatment device 100 may display a VR image IM including a tinnitus avatar OB and tinnitus backgrounds SB1, SB2, and SB3. A background image (BI) is displayed on the VR image so that the user can feel the virtual environment as a real environment, and the tinnitus avatar (OB) may be displayed as an object that does not cause discomfort in the background image. The objects SB1 , SB2 , and SB3 corresponding to the tinnitus background allow the user to recognize the fusion sound with the subjective tinnitus, and the difficulty of the user's process of finding the tinnitus avatar OB may be increased.

The tinnitus treatment device 100 displays VR images and outputs 3D sound at the same time, and measures the distance between the user and the tinnitus avatar (OB) and the distance between the user and the tinnitus background (SB1, SB2, SB3), and the user's point of view. The output of the 3D sound may be controlled in consideration of the sensitivity of the left or right hearing according to the sound.

The tinnitus treatment method by the tinnitus treatment device 100 is for removing or alleviating tinnitus symptoms by active participation of the user, so the tinnitus treatment device 100 tasks the user to find the tinnitus avatar (OB) in the VR image. and the user can change the display of the VR image by providing an input signal through the user interface unit 150.

If the user provides a user input signal to move forward, the tinnitus treatment device 100 may display the VR image IM' at the point of forward movement. As the viewpoint moves, the VR image changes and the output of 3D sound also changes. That is, as the user approaches the tinnitus avatar OB and/or the tinnitus background SB1, SB2, and SB3 in the 3D image, the tinnitus treatment device 100 outputs 3D sound by the tinnitus avatar and/or the corresponding tinnitus. The output of 3D sound by the background is increased. For example, when IM is changed to IM', the 3D sound by the tinnitus avatar (OB) increases both left and right, and the 3D sound by the tinnitus background (SB3) increases on both the left and right sides, but the tinnitus background (SB1, 3D sound by SB2) may be very small or disappear.

The tinnitus treatment device 100 may control the tinnitus avatar (OB) in response to a user input signal. If the user removes the tinnitus avatar (OB) by putting it in the trash bin object (TS) in the VR image, the corresponding tinnitus avatar (OB) is removed. 3D sound output by the tinnitus avatar (OB) is stopped. Embodiments are also possible which reduce the sound output to a very low level instead of interruption. Meanwhile, it is noted that the 3D sound output due to the tinnitus backgrounds SB1 , SB2 , and SB3 that are not removed is not interrupted, and the 3D sound output suitable for the corresponding location information/rotation information continues.

As described above, the tinnitus treatment apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention can increase the efficiency of tinnitus treatment by active participation of the user, rather than passive training to provide and stop noise to the user.

5 is a diagram of a tinnitus treatment system using a stereoscopic virtual reality interface according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 5 , the user may input a user input signal through the user interface unit 150 (FIG. 1) mounted in the tinnitus treatment device 100, but through a separate VR image controller 200. may be provided to the tinnitus treatment device 100. It may be considered that a separate VR image controller exists in addition to or instead of the user interface unit described above in FIG. 1 .

The VR video controller 200 may include a button for moving the user forward and backward, a button for displaying an action such as putting or throwing the tinnitus avatar into a trash can object, but is not limited thereto, and receives user input information A series of means can be used to do so.

The VR image controller 200 and the tinnitus treatment device 100 may transmit and receive data through wired or wireless communication, and may exchange data through, for example, Bluetooth communication.

As such, according to an embodiment of the present invention, a user (patient) watching in virtual reality can check a virtual object from which tinnitus treatment sounds are heard in a virtual environment through stereophonic sound (ie, 3D sound). That is, an interface capable of confirming the virtual object of tinnitus through a visual virtual object and confirming a location through stereophonic sound is provided.

As described above, the stereoscopic virtual reality interface provides position/size/rotation information of an object corresponding to a source of tinnitus noise in a virtual environment and position/size/rotation information of an object corresponding to a sound source generated in a virtual environment. It receives the virtual tinnitus object and the virtual environment object part, the position information/rotation information of the virtual tinnitus object, and the position/rotation information of the audio output parts on both sides (left and right), and adjusts the time, volume, and pitch of the sound of the sound output parts on both sides. Includes a stereo sound processing unit that sets a stereo sound processor, and a VR image control unit that controls an image output from the audio set value of the stereo audio processor to both audio output units and visual information of the virtual tinnitus object and the virtual environment object unit to the display unit. can do.

Accordingly, in the stereophonic virtual reality interface, the stereophonic audio processing unit may calculate time, volume, and pitch of sound in real time according to changes in position/size/rotation information of virtual tinnitus objects and objects in the virtual environment. Stereophonic software based on HRTF, which is a function that sets the time, volume, and height of sound according to head movement, can be applied. Position/size/rotation information of virtual tinnitus objects and objects in the virtual environment may be detected and moved or changed due to other virtual objects. Position/rotation information of the audio output unit on both sides may vary according to the movement of the user's head. The changed position/size/rotation information of the virtual tinnitus object and the virtual environment object may output an image to the display unit and sound to the audio output units on both sides.

The stereophonic virtual reality interface for this can be performed with the following core configuration. First, the computer and the virtual reality device visually and audibly output the virtual tinnitus object and the virtual object that generates the sound to the user, and computes the tinnitus object to be generated at a virtual location. Through this, it is possible to visualize the sound of virtual reality as a virtual object, giving an auditory sense of immersion as if the virtual object is present in a virtual location. Second, the stereo sound software calculates the user's location and the location of the virtual tinnitus, and calculates the sound of the audio output units on both sides so that the user's location can be known aurally. Through this, not only the position of the virtual tinnitus object is recognized auditorily, but also the tinnitus is actually heard at a specific position, thereby increasing the immersion in virtual reality.

<Experimental example>

In this study, we evaluated the potential of VR in patients with chronic subjective tinnitus. Assessment of clinical benefit was performed based on patient electroencephalogram (EEG) analysis and questionnaire responses 6 to 8 weeks after patient participation in the VR-based palliative program. Clinical trials were conducted at higher education hospitals. Nineteen patients (33-64 years old) who presented to the hospital with chronic subjective tinnitus for more than 3 months were enrolled in the study. The intervention consisted of discarding the tinnitus avatar in VR. It was expected that patients would have a subjective feeling of controlling their tinnitus through this intervention. The VR environment consisted of four sessions in four settings: bedroom, living room, restaurant, and city street. Standardized low-resolution brain CT scans were used to analyze changes in underlying activity in frontal lobe regions associated with tinnitus in this patient. Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), total score (50.11 to 44.21, P = 0.046), and grade (3.16 to 2.79, P = 0.035) improved significantly (P < 0.05) after the VR-based tinnitus treatment program. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index also showed improvement (P = 0.025). On the other hand, there was no significant change after intervention in the Tinnitus Handicap Questionnaire, Quality of Life Assessment (WHO-QOL), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and Profile of Mood States. appeared to be absent. Baseline EEG data showed a significant increase in brain activity in the orbitofrontal cortex in the alpha and theta frequency bands. Patients with improved THI scores after intervention also showed specific increases in brain activity in the theta and high beta bands of the orbitofrontal cortex. Our findings suggest that virtual reality-based programs, as part of cognitive-behavioral therapy, can help alleviate tinnitus-related distress in patients with chronic subjective tinnitus.

Virtual reality (VR) systems can provide users with a sense of presence and immersion through 360° visual displays, spatial acoustics, and haptic feedback. This realistic user experience suggests that VR can be a viable clinical treatment method. This study aimed to provide a sense of control that can lead to tinnitus relief by allowing patients to manipulate and remove objects (VR avatars) that generate tinnitus sounds in a VR environment. The patient goes beyond pointing and exploring the tinnitus avatar, grabbing the tinnitus avatar and throwing it into the trash can to actually get rid of it. Therefore, the patient feels that the tinnitus can be controlled by deleting the tinnitus avatar.

After the trial was completed, the effectiveness of this VR-based intervention for the treatment of patients with tinnitus was evaluated using questionnaires, electroencephalogram (EEG) and standardized low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography (sLORETA). Analysis of participants' EEG data collected before and after the program allowed us to evaluate the factors of change in the auditory and non-auditory cortex or subcortical networks. Through this process, this study tried to determine the usefulness of VR as a treatment of choice to reduce tinnitus and related symptoms.

method

patient and questionnaire

Among patients (19-80 years old) who visited the hospital with tinnitus as the main symptom, patients with chronic non-pulsatile tinnitus lasting for more than 3 months, able to communicate smoothly in their native language, and who agreed to participate in the study were selected. Patients who are frequently exposed to noise due to occupational or hobby activities and patients who are expected to have difficulties in operating an HMD-based VR program were excluded. Finally, 19 patients with tinnitus (9 males, 10 females) participated in this study.

The patient's medical history, demographic information, physical examination, physical examination including vital signs (blood pressure, heart rate, temperature, respiratory rate), weight, height, and daily living ability were evaluated accordingly. In addition, after confirming the underlying disease and treatment history related to tinnitus, excluding tinnitus, neurological, and psychological problems before the study, the audiogram and tinnitus symptoms before and after the experiment were investigated for these patients to exclude cases related to unnecessary bias. .

The patient's condition before and after the experiment was evaluated through a questionnaire about tinnitus itself, including THI, THQ, and visual numeric scale (VNS) related to the severity of tinnitus-related pain. Although not designed as an outcome measure, it is a simple, easily administered, psychometrically robust measure that assesses the impact of tinnitus on daily life and is widely used in national health systems. A questionnaire on tinnitus-related symptoms such as PSQI, WHO-QoL, POMS, and HADS for depression, anxiety, and sleep disorder accompanying tinnitus was completed. In addition, a simulator sickness questionnaire (SSQ) was conducted to evaluate the symptoms of patients after the experiment that may occur after using the VR system.

experimental protocol

First, a tinnitus avatar was created to mimic each patient's subjective tinnitus by matching the frequency and loudness. Acoustic modelization of perceived tinnitus established by the signal matches the spectrum and intensity of the patient's perception of tinnitus. This indicates that a fusion process can occur between the subjective tinnitus and the matched stimulus presented to the contralateral ear. A tutorial session was conducted before the main treatment session. The tinnitus avatar is designed to generate spatial tinnitus sounds implemented with the head-related transfer function (HRTF) of the Google Resonance Sound software development kit (SDK). Participants learned how to move around in the VR environment and how to perform tasks handling tinnitus avatars (Fig. 6). Tinnitus Avatar used HRTF to generate 3D tinnitus sounds of five types (whistling, hissing, roaring, humming and ringing). Participants had to use their hearing to find the tinnitus avatar. Participants can move around the virtual environment by pressing the top and bottom of the trackpad on the left VIVE controller. If you approach within a certain distance, you can see the tinnitus avatar. When holding the tinnitus avatar by pressing the trigger button on the right VIVE controller, the color of the avatar changed and a vibrating feedback was generated on the right VIVE controller to inform the participant that the tinnitus avatar was captured. Then, the participants moved their tinnitus avatars to the tinnitus treatment area in the virtual environment scene (FIG. 7). When the tinnitus avatar was abandoned, the sound of tinnitus drastically decreased. Two sets of virtual environments were developed for each city's street, restaurant, living room, and bedroom scenes for tinnitus VR intervention sessions. Tinnitus treatment stations are placed in noisy scenes on each virtual set (i.e. bedroom entrance, living room next to the television, restaurant order counter, city street car hood), absorbing tinnitus sounds into much louder environmental noises. created a cognitive illusion. During each treatment session, three rounds of tinnitus avatar processing tasks were performed.

Patients visited the hospital 4 times and experienced VR tinnitus intervention every 1-2 weeks (Fig. 8). Those who consented to participate in the experiment underwent an endoscopic eardrum examination and a hearing/tinnitus test at the first visit, followed by a questionnaire. They experienced the VR tinnitus intervention system for a total of 3 sessions from the first visit to the third visit. During the first visit, before experiencing the VR tinnitus intervention system, EEG was performed to check the EEG status. The first session (city street) was followed by a tutorial session. Participants performed both the second (dining room scene) and third (living room scene) sessions on the second visit. They did the fourth session (bedroom scene) on the third visit. The sessions were arranged to reduce the volume of environmental noise as they progressed through the sequence (FIG. 9). After the fourth session, participants took SSQ questionnaires and EEG tests.

Source localization using sLORETA

In this study, we used sLORETA software that can analyze intracerebral electrical sources in scalp recorded activities based on EEG data. EEG data were pre-processed and 30 epochs were prepared per participant. This epoch was analyzed for six frequency bands (delta, 1-4 Hz; theta, 4-8 Hz; alpha, 8-12 Hz; low beta, 12-18 Hz; high beta, 18-30 Hz; and gamma, 30-55 Hz). It became. In sLORETA, the source image is spatially modeled as a set of 6239 voxels (size 5 Х 5 Х 5 mm). These layers were obtained from the amygdala, hippocampus and cortical gray matter. sLORETA data were based on reconstructions of digitized Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI) 152 coordinates into Talairach coordinates.

We selected 10 ROIs in the frontal lobe area based on previous literature on tinnitus. Each ROI consisted of one or two Brodmann areas (Table 1: selected RIOs and BAs). We also compared the current source density for each ROI using SPSS.

result

The primary outcome measure was a questionnaire about the patient's condition and tinnitus-related symptoms before and after the experiment. An exploratory outcome measure was the current source density for 10 ROIs. The results of the questionnaire on VR sickness using the SSQ provided another measure.

statistical analysis

Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the results. Improvements in the THI score and tinnitus grade were reported using the change in difference relative to pre-treatment measurements. Differences before and after treatment were reported using absolute values. Statistical significance of differences found in the questionnaire was assessed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Absolute values before and after treatment were paired for each participant and statistical significance was considered as p<0.05. All data were analyzed using SPSS (version 20.0; SPSS, Chicago, Illinois, USA). In ROI analysis, Wilcoxon signed-rank test and Mann-Whitney U test were performed between EEG data before and after treatment in subgroups separated by THI score for differences in EEG data before and after treatment in the ROI analysis. (THI < 0: n = 12, THI ≥ 0: n = 7). In this study, the significance level was considered to be 0.050 without performing multiple comparison correction to investigate potential EEG indicators that can reflect the improvement of tinnitus-related pain at the exploratory level.

result

Patient demographics and clinical characteristics

Nineteen patients with nonpulsatile tinnitus were selected for this study. The average participant age was 56.40 (± 8.19) years. Participants experienced tinnitus symptoms for an average of 7.34 years. Tinnitus was experienced in 8 patients on each side, 8 patients on the left side, and 3 patients on the right side. The average tinnitus loudness was 5.42 SL (sensation level). All types of tinnitus were studied without exclusion. None of the patients had Meniere's disease, tympanic disease, or any other neurological condition. Patients with psychiatric disorders were excluded from the study (Table 2: patient demographics and clinical characteristics).

Analysis of questionnaires provided to study participants

Participants filled out the same tinnitus-related questionnaire before and after participating in the VR program. Tinnitus improved after treatment based on THI and PSQI, which are closely related to tinnitus. Statistically significant differences were observed in the THI function score (P = 0.005), total score (P = 0.046), and grade (P = 0.035) (Table 3: Results of questionnaires administered to study participants. THI: List of Tinnitus Disorders; PSQI : Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index; THQ: Tinnitus Disorder Questionnaire; WHO-QoL: World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment; HADS: Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; POMS: Profile of Mood State). Figure 10 shows the tinnitus alleviation effect according to the individual's total THI score change before and after the program. In contrast to statistically significant change, clinically significant change was defined as comprising a minimum score of 7 on THI33. Six out of 19 patients in this sample met this threshold (37%). However, there was no correlation between THI score and PSQI. Other questionnaires, which are tools for assessing tinnitus-related symptoms, did not show statistically significant differences.

For SSQ34, the total score was calculated using the formula: Total score = nausea score + eye movement score + disorientation Х 3.74). The nausea, eye movement, disorientation, and total scores for this system were 48.20, 58.25, and 74.73, respectively (Table 4: Analysis of nausea, eye movement, disorientation, and total scores derived from the SSQ. sd: standard deviation). After weighting, the total score was 32.81 points.

EEG data analysis

Compared with EEG data before VR-based tinnitus intervention, EEG data after VR was analyzed based on the source location analysis results, and the ROI of the prefrontal cortex was compared accordingly. Significant differences were observed in the ROI of the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). As a result, it was found that the alpha (P=0.030) and theta (P=0.040) bands significantly increased in all patients after the VR treatment program in the left orbitofrontal cortex (OFC, 10 L, 11 L) (FIG. 11). Specifically, significant increases in theta (P=0.003) and high beta (P=0.005) were confirmed in the left OFC (10L, 11L) in the patient group with improved THI scores.

In addition, the patient group with improved THI score and the patient group with no improvement in THI score were compared and evaluated for the change of each band. As a result, in a group of patients (THI < Grade 2, THI > Grade 3) separated on the basis of THI score (THI < Grade 2, THI > Grade 3), theta (P = 0.007) of the left OFC (10 L and 11 L) and A statistically significant difference was shown in the high beta (P = 0.001) band.

In addition, non-parametric correlation analysis was conducted in all patient groups to determine whether changes in THI scores correlated with changes in myogenic activity in specific bands. It was confirmed that there was a significant negative correlation between the change and the increase in the high beta band. As a result of analyzing the theta band through the same process, it was confirmed that there was a significant correlation between the THI score and the ta band value in the left OFC (r = -0.490, P = 0.033). A detailed analysis of the subscales of the THI found a significant correlation between the THI emotion score and the theta value of the left OFC (r = -0.494, P = 0.032).

In addition, the group of patients with improved THI scores, alpha (P = 0.028), lower beta (P = 0.012) and gamma (P = 0.015) bands in the left OFC area were significant after the treatment program. Similar changes were found in the right OFC region in the alpha (P = 0.041) and theta (P = 0.023) bands. We also observed changes in the subgroup of patients with improved THI in the left sgACC area in the group of patients who performed the experiment. As a result of analysis in the patient group with improved THI, the theta (P = 0.023) and gamma (P = 0.028) bands tended to increase in this area accordingly.

Argument

This study evaluated the value of VR-based psychological intervention, which is a part of behavioral cognitive therapy for tinnitus patients, using a VR system with high visual, auditory, and tactile reality. This study started with the assumption that this method could be used for the recovery of patients with severe tinnitus. Our analysis of the questionnaire showed that VR-based interventions relieved tinnitus and related symptoms. THI and PSQI scores showed significant improvement, especially in total score, grade, and functional status. Although the THI, which measures the degree of tinnitus-related distress and is useful for predicting psychological distress, varies among individuals, scores improved in 12 of the total 19 patients. The PSQI, an indicator of sleep quality, was also lowered after the intervention, indicating that the program helped relieve related symptoms such as insomnia caused by severe tinnitus. On the other hand, the reason why other items did not show statistically significant differences is that indirect factors related to tinnitus are being evaluated, and the change may have been small because the treatment period was short.

As a result of SSQ analysis, this VR system showed relatively low motion sickness. In previous studies, the SSQ score of the VR treatment system for chronic pain patients was 55.7226, and the SSQ score of the VR wheelchair training simulator system was 20027 or higher. On the other hand, the SSQ score of this VR system was 32.81. A lower SSQ score indicates less motion sickness. A low SSQ score for the VR system indicates that the system itself did not cause motion sickness problems. In addition, EEG data before and after the experiment were carefully analyzed. The analysis confirmed that the alpha and theta band myogenic activity increased in the left orbitofrontal cortex in all patient groups after the VR treatment program.

In general, the limbic system is highly related to acoustic functions such as tinnitus and phantom sounds. This is due to the interaction between the limbic system and the auditory system, which may be involved in the noise cancellation system. This system is closely linked to tinnitus-induced stress caused by corresponding changes in the prefrontal cortex of the brain. Recently, the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) was proposed as a cortical region responsible for the emotional component of tinnitus in an integrated model of tinnitus, which proposes tinnitus as an integrated cognition in which separate subnetworks interact. Specifically, these areas serve to direct attention and emotion regulation to suppress unwanted sensory signals while passing through the thalamus and nucleus accumbens. Moreover, mild structural and functional abnormalities of the PFC are often observed in tinnitus patients. A recent study showed that the OFC was positively correlated with the percent improvement in numerical rating scale (NRS) pain of the OFC for the alpha frequency band and the change in source local cortical power of the OFC, which correlated well with this cortical region. is associated with excitatory rather than inhibitory activities with respect to feelings of pleasure. Similarly to these studies, the EEG results also confirmed the connection between the alpha band of the OFC and tinnitus. The patient's EEG results after customized VR intervention showed an increase in alpha-band myogenic activity indicating an increase in excitatory function, suggesting recovery of the emotion regulation system related to tinnitus.

This study also observed increased theta activity in the OFC. Previous studies have shown that the main causes of change originate from auditory processing areas such as the superior temporal gyrus and upper emotional and cognitive processing areas such as the OFC through root location analysis of theta changes in the tinnitus improvement group through music therapy. In addition, abnormalities in limbic regions and changes in theta activity are frequently observed in patients with tinnitus, suggesting the retrieval of auditory information from memory as compensation for insufficient sensory input to mitigate the uncertainty that can lead to the accumulation of tinnitus-related emotional memories. interpreted In addition, previous studies have shown that the OFC, which also plays a role in control and working memory functions for initiating tasks, is connected to the limbic system, which can be expressed in increased theta activity. Therefore, the results of tinnitus patients participating in this study can be evidence of improved cognitive control, especially inhibitory executive control in multisensory tasks and memory processes. This may occur due to the phase-locked theta activity that correlates with this region in the improvement of top-down task performance and cognitive control in tinnitus patients due to symptom relief by this VR program.

In this study, further analysis was performed on the group of patients with improved THI scores and significant increases in theta and high beta were identified in the left OFC. In addition, as a result of comparative evaluation, statistically significant differences were shown in the theta and high beta bands of the left OFC.

The beta band plays a similar role to the alpha band in the OFC region related to the emotional system. As suggested above, the beta band is closely related to the unpleasant feeling of tinnitus. As such, the beta band is a representation of changes in pain perceived by a network composed of the limbic system activating the anterior cingulate, the amygdala and islets for the prefrontal cortical system. As shown in the present results, when the beta band increases, functional connections between the precuneus, OFC, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), which are related to emotional processing and in turn closely related to the tinnitus relief system, can be activated. This can be directed at attentional and emotional regulation to inhibit and alleviate irritation due to tinnitus.

Also, in the group of patients with improved THI score, the alpha, low beta, and gamma bands of the left OFC region were not significant, but showed a tendency to increase after the treatment program. Therefore, these results suggest that additional factors were found through a more detailed analysis as described above, and suggest the resultant consistency according to the increase in the alpha band of the left OFC region seen in all patient groups. Similar changes were found in the right OFC region in the alpha and theta bands. We also observed changes in the leftsgACC area of the subgroup with reduced THI in the patient groups participating in the experiment. The sgACC region tightly regulates positive emotion, arousal processing networks, and error detection functions, and is also involved in tinnitus and adverse effects from similar disorders such as chronic pain and post-traumatic stress disorder. Another study found that higher activity of the ACC predicted higher levels of tinnitus distress felt by patients. Analysis of a group of patients with improved THI tended to increase theta and gamma bands in this area, which may be related to restoration of the processing system.

In addition, through non-parametric correlation analysis in all patient groups, after experiencing the VR treatment program, it was confirmed that the change in THI score correlated with the change in the root activity of a specific band. It was confirmed that there was a significant negative correlation (r = - 0.627). That is, an increase in the high beta band value improved the THI score in patients. In addition, as a result of analyzing the theta band through the same process, it was confirmed that there was a significant correlation between the THI score and theta band value (r = - 0.490) in the OFC. These results show that the VR intervention program conducted through this experiment is effective in clinically improving tinnitus-related pain through THI score correlation, which is verified by changes in brain signals through EEG. The present study provides an understanding of intervention-related changes that appear to involve cortical areas associated with central representations of tinnitus-related distress.

In this study, we evaluated functional differences in the cerebral cortex related to tinnitus after exposure to a VR program, and confirmed that this program induced changes at the brain level, especially in the OFC and sgACC regions. These changes can lead to remodulation of perturbed networks in relevant regions and can affect the modulation of perturbed pathways. The VR program in this study allowed participants to visualize auditory stimuli, which reduced tinnitus by causing changes in the OFC and sgACC mechanisms that process and regulate tinnitus. In other words, the roles of these areas related to cognition, mood, and affection are closely related to examples of tinnitus and their effects, which can be clues to the basic pathophysiology of tinnitus. Moreover, band differences presented in EEG indicate complementary network activation of these functions. Therefore, cognitive-behavioral therapy can cause changes in the occurrence of tinnitus and the continuous experience of tinnitus.

conclusion

Chronic subjective tinnitus has several detrimental effects on patients' lives, and there is no truly successful treatment to date. Among the available therapies, cognitive-behavioral therapy has recently been in the limelight. However, there are limitations that require much attention and adaptation from patients. Therefore, this study seeks to evaluate the potential of VR intervention systems to provide users with real-world experiences that can be part of a cognitive behavioral therapy treatment. In this study, we detected relief of tinnitus symptoms and changes in EEG patterns related to the tinnitus generating system, and it is expected that a new method of treating tinnitus patients will be found.

The stereoscopic sound virtual reality interface for tinnitus treatment and symptom relief according to the above-described embodiment of the present invention can be applied to a rehabilitation device for tinnitus and can be applied using a computer. It can be applied to various fields such as symptom relief and treatment for tinnitus.

In this way, according to an embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to provide an interface capable of obtaining positional information of tinnitus existing in virtual reality and sound in a virtual environment. Through the sound of virtual tinnitus objects and objects in the virtual environment, it is possible to simulate everyday situations in which immersive tinnitus is heard. It goes beyond the prior art treatment of simply hearing the sound of tinnitus to experience hearing the sound of tinnitus in a virtual everyday space. A simulation environment that can more effectively reduce tinnitus stress can be provided.

An interface according to an embodiment of the present invention may be various types of electronic devices. The electronic device may include, for example, a portable communication device (eg, a smart phone), a computer device, a portable multimedia device, a portable medical device, a camera, a wearable device, or a home appliance. An electronic device according to an embodiment of the present document is not limited to the aforementioned devices.

Various embodiments of the present invention are software (eg, a program) including one or more instructions stored in a storage medium (eg, internal memory or external memory) readable by a machine (eg, an electronic device). can be implemented as For example, a processor (eg, a processor) of a device (eg, an electronic device) may call at least one command among one or more instructions stored from a storage medium and execute it. This enables the device to be operated to perform at least one function according to the at least one command invoked. The one or more instructions may include code generated by a compiler or code executable by an interpreter. The device-readable storage medium may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Here, 'non-temporary' only means that the storage medium is a tangible device and does not contain signals (e.g., electromagnetic waves), and this term refers to the case where data is stored semi-permanently in the storage medium. It does not discriminate when it is temporarily stored.

According to one embodiment, the method according to various embodiments disclosed in the present invention may be included and provided in a computer program product. Computer program products may be traded between sellers and buyers as commodities. A computer program product is distributed in the form of a device-readable storage medium (e.g. compact disc read only memory (CD-ROM)), or through an application store (e.g. Play Store™) or on two user devices (e.g. It can be distributed (eg downloaded or uploaded) online, directly between smartphones. In the case of online distribution, at least part of the computer program product may be temporarily stored or temporarily created in a device-readable storage medium such as a manufacturer's server, an application store server, or a relay server's memory.

According to various embodiments, each component (eg, module or program) of the components described above may include a singular entity or a plurality of entities. According to various embodiments, one or more components or operations among the aforementioned corresponding components may be omitted, or one or more other components or operations may be added. Alternatively or additionally, a plurality of components (eg modules or programs) may be integrated into a single component. In this case, the integrated component may perform one or more functions of each of the plurality of components identically or similarly to those performed by a corresponding component of the plurality of components prior to the integration. . According to various embodiments, the actions performed by a module, program, or other component are executed sequentially, in parallel, iteratively, or heuristically, or one or more of the actions are executed in a different order, or omitted. or one or more other actions may be added.

Although the technical idea of the present invention has been specifically written according to the above preferred embodiments, it should be noted that the above embodiments are for explanation and not for limitation. In addition, those skilled in the art will understand that various embodiments are possible within the scope of the spirit of the present invention.

100: tinnitus treatment device
110: VR video controller
120: display unit
130: virtual tinnitus object and virtual environment object unit
140: stereo sound processing unit
150: user interface unit
160: sound output unit
170: storage unit
200: VR video controller

Claims (10)

a display unit mounted on a user's head to display a VR image in which a virtual tinnitus object and a virtual environment object are inserted to the test subject;
a virtual tinnitus object and virtual environment object unit for generating the virtual tinnitus object by visualizing subjective tinnitus perceived by the user and generating the virtual environment object corresponding to a sound source generated in the virtual environment;
a stereophonic sound processing unit that performs 3D sound processing to allow the user to recognize the location of the virtual tinnitus object and the location of the virtual environment object;
a sound output unit outputting the 3D sound to the user; and
Including a VR image control unit that changes the content in the VR image in response to a user input signal provided from the user interface unit;
The VR image controller controls the virtual tinnitus object displayed in the VR image in response to the user input signal, and changes the output of the 3D sound in response to the control of the virtual tinnitus object. tinnitus treatment device. The method of claim 1, wherein the VR image control unit,
A tinnitus treatment device using a stereoscopic virtual reality interface for removing the virtual tinnitus object displayed in the VR image in response to the user input signal and stopping the output of the 3D sound by the virtual tinnitus object. The method of claim 2, wherein the VR image control unit,
In response to the user input signal, the virtual tinnitus object displayed in the VR image is removed, and the output of the 3D sound by the virtual environment object is stopped while the output of the 3D sound by the virtual tinnitus object is maintained. Tinnitus treatment device using stereoscopic virtual reality interface. According to claim 1,
The 3D sound is a mixed sound in which the 3D sound by the virtual tinnitus object and the 3D sound by the virtual environment object are fused, and the tinnitus treatment device using a stereoscopic virtual reality interface. The method of claim 1, wherein the sound output unit,
Tinnitus treatment device using a stereoscopic virtual reality interface composed of a left sound output unit and a right sound output unit for outputting sound to both ears of the user, respectively. The method of claim 1, wherein the stereo sound processing unit,
Tinnitus treatment using a stereoscopic virtual reality interface that adjusts the time, volume, and height of the 3D sound in response to the distance between the user and the virtual tinnitus object and the distance between the user and the virtual environment object in the VR image Device. The method of claim 6, wherein the stereophonic sound processing unit,
A tinnitus treatment device using a stereophonic virtual reality interface implemented based on HRTF (Head-Related Transfer Function), a function that sets the time, volume, and height of sound according to head movement. The method of claim 1, wherein the display unit,
A tinnitus treatment device using a stereoscopic virtual reality interface provided by a Head Mounted Display (HMD) that provides a closed view environment blocked from the outside. A tinnitus treatment system using a stereoscopic virtual reality interface,
tinnitus treatment device; and
A VR image controller connected to the tinnitus treatment device through a network and inputting a user input signal to the tinnitus treatment device;
The tinnitus treatment device,
a display unit mounted on a user's head to display a VR image in which a virtual tinnitus object and a virtual environment object are inserted to the test subject;
a virtual tinnitus object and virtual environment object unit for generating the virtual tinnitus object by visualizing subjective tinnitus perceived by the user and generating the virtual environment object corresponding to a sound source generated in the virtual environment;
a stereophonic sound processing unit that performs 3D sound processing to allow the user to recognize the location of the virtual tinnitus object and the location of the virtual environment object;
a sound output unit outputting the 3D sound to the user; and
A VR image controller configured to change contents in the VR image in response to a user input signal provided from the VR image controller;
The VR image controller controls the virtual tinnitus object displayed in the VR image in response to the user input signal, and changes the output of the 3D sound in response to the control of the virtual tinnitus object. tinnitus treatment system. A method of operating a tinnitus treatment device using a stereoscopic virtual reality interface,
generating a virtual tinnitus object by visualizing subjective tinnitus perceived by a user and creating a virtual environment object corresponding to a sound source generated in the virtual environment;
displaying a VR image into which the virtual tinnitus object and the virtual environment object are inserted to a subject through a display unit mounted on the user's head;
performing 3D sound processing to allow the user to recognize the location of the virtual tinnitus object and the location of the object in the virtual environment;
outputting the 3D sound to the user; and
In response to a user input signal provided from a user interface unit, changing the content in the VR image;
The changing step uses a stereophonic virtual reality interface for controlling the virtual tinnitus object displayed in the VR image in response to the user input signal and changing the output of the 3D sound in response to the control of the virtual tinnitus object. A method of operating a tinnitus treatment device.

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